Travel Guides

Tijuana, Mexico

A typical border town, Tijuana is not suited to everyone's
taste, with plenty of noise and frenetic activity. Its location on
the American/Mexican border and proximity to San Diego ensures a
steady stream of curious day-trippers and souvenir hunters from up
north, as well as students in search of cheap alcohol and a lower
drinking age. Tijuana's notorious 'sin city' image of prostitution
and sex shows has now taken a back seat; the sleazy element, the
drugs and violence that seems to be the lot of a border town, is
still there, but the focus has shifted in an effort to clean the
town up a bit, and it has become something of a shopper's delight
along with the intense nightlife and non-stop entertainment. This
is the place to shop, drink and dance the night away; there are
souvenir stalls, numerous duty-free shopping malls and markets
selling goods from all over Mexico, and countless bars, restaurants
and dance clubs.

Tijuana has some traditional attractions as well, including
bullfighting and Jai Alai (a Spanish ball court game), but this is
not the classic Mexico that stories are made of. Just across the
Mexican border, 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, Tijuana is
unlike other Mexican cities, but is a worthwhile experience that
provides a fascinating contrast between Mexico and the USA.

While there is concern about the ongoing drug violence in
Mexico, most visits to Tijuana are generally trouble-free.